Jane Edwards
Aerojet Rocketdyne has used 3-D printing technology to produce 12 nozzle extensions for installation onboard the Orion spacecraft’s crew module reaction control system.
“These components are the first additively manufactured parts we have provided for the Orion spacecraft,” Julie Van Kleeck, vice president of advanced space and launch programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne, said in a statement released Tuesday.
Aerojet Rocketdyne has been selected to develop the reaction control platform for the Orion spacecraft that Lockheed Martin builds for NASA in preparation for Exploration Mission-1.
The reaction control system works to help the crew module control its flight path once it separates from the service module, regulate the heat shield and correctly orient the spacecraft for splashdown.
Aerojet Rocketdyne will perform hot-fire tests and inspections on the nozzle extensions in order to qualify the parts for the space vehicle’s initial test flight in 2018.
